Naruto Shippuden: The Last Story (My Version)
by Rondere 'The Architect' H.C
Summary: The 4th Great Ninja War has ended. Obito Uchiha, Madara Uchiha and Kaguya along with Black Zetsu have been defeated. Now the people of Konohakagure and the other villages can finally live their lives normally. But with the ending of the war, comes the birth of many feelings. Feelings that many didn't know existed within them until now. (Please note that this is MY version)
1. The End of the War

Naruto Uzumaki panted heavily, looking over at his raven haired comrade Sasuke Uchiha as the two of them felt every muscle in their bodies aching in agony. "It's…over…" Naruto finally choked out, in between ragged breaths and gasps for air as he looked around at the torn apart battlefield. Obito Uchiha, Madara Uchiha and Kaguya, all three of them he and his comrades fought against in this horrendous 4th Great Ninja War, and now it was finally over. Looking down at his right arm, covered in cuts, bruises, scars and burns as he looked at his tattered clothing.

Chuckling weakly, the blond shinobi slowly fell to his knees, as did Sasuke as they both fell. Naruto felt his body aching painfully, his eyelids slowly growing heavier as he looked over at Sasuke, the sound of footsteps echoing through his mind before he would smile weakly. Finally, his eyes closed, he slowly felt himself being pulled into the darkness, his body too beaten up to go on at this moment.

What was only mere moments in the outside world felt like an eternity, eons even, inside Naruto's mind. But for some reason, he could feel a warmth…pushing its way through the darkness and slowly making its way towards him as he began to feel himself being pulled slowly out of the darkness. His eyes which once were heavy slowly began to open, and what he saw had fooled him into thinking it was just a dream, or maybe a bad attempt at a joke from someone.

But he could swear, that at that moment, he felt the soft welcoming lips of the pink haired young woman who he had been chasing since his youth. His eyes fixated on the pink locks of her hair, no longer hindered by her red headband, he could still feel the warmth of her breath on him as she continued to kiss him. When she had finally pulled away, her green eyes were greeted by the young man's warm blue eyes, full of exhaustion yet full of joy that they had survived and even won the battle with the Uchiha and Kaguya.

Smiling, the pink haired young woman tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, looking down at the beaten up spiky, blond haired shinobi as tears pricked the corners of her eyes, one managing to fall as she looked at him. "You idiot…I knew that would wake you up…" she said, Naruto returning her smile with a perplexed expression, though he was far too exhausted to react in the typical animated and overly dramatic fashion he was known for. Instead, he simply looked at her with his blue eyes locked on her lips.

He brought his hand up slowly, touching his lips as if he could still feel Sakura's own lips pressing against his. "Sa…Sakura?" he said, confusing fighting to appear evident in his tired voice. Before he could say another utterance, Sakura lifted her finger to his lips, shaking her head as tears fell from her eyes. "Idiot…save your strength…" she said to him.

Across the battlefield, a lavender eyed young woman watched from a distance. She placed her hand over her heart almost as if she was checking to see if it was still beating, yet this was not the case. She was…shocked. Surprised. And worst of all…heartbroken. She was glad that Naruto was okay, but…to come to see him being kissed by Sakura? Even if Sakura was her friend and comrade she couldn't believe that she would kiss Naruto RIGHT after he had just finished battling.

And she wasn't the only person who saw this either…Sitting up a few meters away, was the raven haired, lone survivor of the Uchiha Clan. He had watched Sakura kiss Naruto, and to say the least…it had an impact on him. Not so much about anything romance related, that much he could care less about. It was…different…far different from anything anyone else could comprehend if he were to tell them.

All this time he had been knowing Naruto, he always saw Naruto as an annoyance, a person who always got in his way…but, he was also his rival. The person he always tried to be better than, but for some reason Naruto always had some sort of a lead on him. And just when the both of them had been put on equal ground, with his Rinnegan and Naruto being given Sixth Paths' power from Hagoromo, the Sage of the Six Paths, here he had to sit up and see Naruto kissing Sakura.

That was it wasn't it? The one thing Naruto had now that he couldn't acquire no matter how much training he does. He slowly reached for his blade, using it as a makeshift crutch to help him stand up, he turned his back towards the two of them, looking over his shoulder at the two before looking away…

 _Naruto…won…_

Those words…those painful words echoed through his mind as he looked ahead and slowly began to walk forward before a heavy hand stopped him from doing so. Standing behind him was Ay, the Raikage, and he didn't seem at all in the mood to be having kind conversation.

"Sasuke…Uchiha…where do you think…you're going?" he asked, his voice as sincere and anger filled as it has always been. His soul piercing eyes met Sasuke's, the man staring the lone survivor down. "I still…have to get you…for what you did to…Bee" he said, his body aching, but apparently not enough to keep from attacking the young raven haired boy.

Just as the man lifted his arm, channeling what little bit his chakra he had remaining in his body into it as he sought to destroy Sasuke once and for all. The male's arm swung towards Sasuke at full force, slicing through the air as the familiar sound of lightning chirped. "Lariat!". A loud thud was heard, Sakura's eyes left wide open as was everyone else's eyes.

The loud thud was then succeeded by the sound of a pained groan, followed by feet sliding backwards on the rugged ground. Sasuke stood there, his own charcoal eyes wide open as he looked at the Raikage, and the now standing blond haired shinobi. Naruto panted heavily, his arms held up in front of himself as a makeshift guard, panting even heavier than before as he stared at the Raikage, far too tired to glare at him the way he wanted to.

"What the hell…are you doing?! I could've finished…that brat off!" Ay said angrily, falling to one knee as he felt himself having barely enough strength to continue standing. "I won't let…you hurt Sasuke…old man" Naruto panted, own body struggling to keep up the façade that he still had energy to go on. Truth was, he just about used up the last of his chakra and energy to rush over as quickly as he did and to block the Raikage's Lariat.

"Why…why do you continue…to protect him? He tried to kill Bee! He even tried to kill you and your comrades! Haven't you suffered enough at his hands?!" the Raikage yelled. "I don't care what he's done! He's still my friend…he's a comrade to the Leaf" Naruto said, gasping futilely to get air into his strained lungs. "Anyone who tries to hurt him…or anyone from the Leaf…I'll knock 'em flat on their butt! Believe it…" he said, finally starting to fall before he felt arms wrapping around his body, warmth enveloping him as he closed his eyes.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears once more at the words and actions of the blond. Even when he has barely able to move, he still was able to put himself in danger's path for the sake of others. Looking up at the raven haired boy she was finally able to see things a bit clearly now. Time and time again, Naruto had been the one putting himself in danger for others, some of the people he didn't even know. Enemies, people from other villages, people who tried to kill him and the others from different villages…he was able to forgive them and make them into his comrades.

But Sasuke? It didn't seem like he changed as much. Naruto was born with the 9 Tails inside his body and because of it everyone hated him. Yet, despite this, he was the kind of person who fought in spite of this. He didn't make up excuses, and this was coming from the girl who always called him an idiot and often mocked his dreams. Sasuke Uchiha…left the village and everyone in it behind, claiming he wanted revenge. He wanted the strength and power he thought he needed to kill his brother Itachi.

And since that day Naruto had been training like crazy to get strong enough to bring Sasuke back to the village. Even when she herself, Sasuke's old teammate from Squad 7, had tried to get Naruto to forget about Sasuke, Naruto refused to and still tried to bring Sasuke out of the darkness. And still…even now…he still had the strength to say that Sasuke was their comrade and fought to protect him with the little bit of energy he had left.

The more she thought about it, the more she thought about how she kept chasing Sasuke for as long as she had been, the more stupid she felt for doing it. Sasuke had been gone, fighting and killing off other shinobi in his quest for revenge. And even after his brother had died he still tried to kill more people. And even…the Leaf Village, his and everyone else who he grew up with's home. She knew that before she had tried to get Naruto to forget about Sasuke with her confession to him, which failed miserably, but…since then, she had been feeling something tugging at her heart…

The more she watched how Naruto fought for the sake of others, the same people who mocked him and his dreams and desire to be accepted, the more the tugging became apparent. And even now the tugging was stronger that it has ever been. Earlier, she had kissed Naruto for the sake of waking him up, and her own way of thanking him for putting his life on the line for everyone the way he did, alongside Sasuke. But…she couldn't help feeling, like there was a deeper meaning to the kiss she gave him.

Like, there was something inside her mind, inside her heart, that made her do it. She knew she could go on telling Naruto he was just delirious from the battle or that he was just lightly under Madara's _Tsuki no Me_ jutsu, but how long would she be able to carry that story along? How long was she going to have to keep fighting these feelings she has for Naruto? Days? Months? Years even?

Sure, she could leave his side and go back to being the old Sakura, the one that chased after Sasuke and ignored Naruto, but what good would that do? Why should she have to chase Sasuke, when Naruto had been by her side from the very beginning? Of course, the old Sakura would have just dropped Naruto and ran over to check on Sasuke, but…she wasn't the old Sasuke chasing Sakura, was she? And this boy…no, this _man_ who she was holding in her arms, wasn't that same annoying goof ball Naruto…that much she knew for sure.

Maybe…just maybe, it was time she left behind her feelings for Sasuke. It wasn't as if she didn't still like him, but…she couldn't continue to ignore how she felt for Naruto. As she saw a few of the people from different villages walking towards one another and celebrating the defeat of Kaguya, she looked down at the blond resting in her arms. Maybe…just maybe…it was time went for the RIGHT guy...


	2. True Feelings

**_Hey brat! You aren't dead are you?_** A rough and anger filled voice asked, shaking the blond from his extended slumber as he sat up, looking around and seeing the familiar dark room. Turning himself where he sat, he saw the voice's owner. A large, orange furred 9 tailed fox with deep crimson eyes looking directly at him.

 ** _Good, you're still alive. I was afraid you'd finally decided to die. Though, you might have made a tasty snack_** the Kyuubi joked, a heavy chuckle following his words as the blond in front of him laughed lightly, rubbing the back his head. "Don't worry Kurama, I'm not gonna died that easily" Naruto said.

"Looks like we won the war" Naruto said, smiling up at the Kyuubi. **_Yup. I'm surprised you fought as hard as you did. Though, I'd expect no less from Kushina's brat_** Kurama said. **_You might want to try waking up. There's a bit of a surprise waiting for you out there_** Kurama said, no longer speaking as the darkness faded away.

Naruto's eyes slowly started to open, looking around expecting to still be on the battlefield with everyone or in a hospital, but feeling a warm breeze blowing over him and hearing the soft rustling of trees, the soft feeling of the grass under his hands, he figured he was probably laying in the training field.

"You finally woke up, you sleepy head" a soft voice spoke to him. His blue eyes looking towards the sky, he saw a smiling pink haired kunoichi looking down at him. "Sa…Sakura?" he said, a bit confused by why he was seeing her, and why they were in this field. Fingers ran softly through his blond spiky hair as she smiled more at him. "You had me worried you weren't going to wake up" she said to him, her voice as soft as the blowing wind.

Naruto was in disbelief, seeing as this was Sakura sitting here with him. "Wh-what are you-…" his words were cut off by the feeling of soft lips pressing against his own, a feeling he was sure he had felt before, though he couldn't recall, the fight making his memory very foggy around anything that happened after he and Sasuke defeated Kaguya. Naruto still couldn't believe this, even when he was experiencing it right now. When the kiss was broken, Sakura smiled down at him once more, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"I love you…Naruto" she smiled, the blonde's eyes widening even more as the words were said. Tearing forming in his own eyes, he couldn't bring himself to believe what he had just heard. "Sa…Sakura? Are you…serious?" he asked her. "Yes, you dummy" she said to him, her voice a lot softer as she looked up towards the blue sky, the clouds light, and slowly floating by above her and the blond.

"After the war, I did a bit of thinking" she said, breaking the silence between them. "I've been chasing Sasuke…ever since we were first together in Squad 7. And I always chased after him, no matter how many times he brushed me off. I kept saying to myself that the day would come when he'd accept my feelings and we'd live happily ever after like some cheesy fairy tale" she said, laughing lightly. "But while I kept chasing him…" she said, looking back down to Naruto with a smile on her face, "…you were chasing me" she said to him.

"I never did see myself being with someone like you, because I thought you were just a loser" she said to him, her hand softly brushing his hair from in front of his eyes. "I kept saying to myself that Sasuke was the only one for me, and that if I kept chasing him, he'd come around and finally like me. I battled with Ino over who would get him, and yet I kept brushing your feelings for me off" she told him.

"Yet, despite that, you kept chasing after me. You got stronger and so much more reliable than you used to be. You kept putting yourself in harm's way for the sake of others, even when you didn't know them" she smiled, a lone tear falling from her eyes. "Naruto…I'm so sorry for brushing you off the way I did. I kept chasing Sasuke even when he had been killing people off and tried to kill his own comrades. It took seeing how you saved him from the Raikage…to see how much you've changed…and for me to finally stop fighting my feelings for you" she said, her voice trembling lightly.

She felt a hand wipe the tears from her face, her eyes opening to see the blond smiling up at her, the way he always had been doing…for the longest time. "Sakura, I'm not mad. Actually, I'm happy" Naruto said to her. "I don't blame you for the way you acted back then. But hearing you say you love me, it made everything I did worth it" he said smiling.

Sakura's eyes welled up with tears at his words, her heart no longer able to suppress her feelings as she smiled. "So you don't have to cry so much. I'll still be there for you when you need me" Naruto said. Sakura started to wipe the tears from her eyes, her smile growing more as she looked at Naruto once more.

"By the way Sakura, where'd you get this pillow? It's really comfy" Naruto said smiling. "It's my lap Naruto" Sakura smiled. At that moment, Naruto's face turned a shade of red that rivaled the color of his mother's hair. "Your…lap?" he repeated. "Yeah? Something wrong?" Sakura asked him, looking away with a light blush rivaling the color of her hair as she rubbed Naruto's forehead.

"You _did_ save everyone, so I thought you deserved a little reward" she said to him. "O-Oh!" Naruto said, trying to compose himself as he laid there, his head resting on the girl's lap as he looked up at her, then to the sky.

Inside his mind, Kurama chuckled to himself.

 _ **Hmph…you're still the same old little brat huh? Naruto…**_


	3. Tenten's Pain

"It's finally over…" Tenten said, looking down at the resting teammates, grabbing onto her shirt as she looked over at the shinobi, carrying Guy sensei's body towards the memorial grounds where the deceased shinobi of Konohakagure were buried when they were killed in action. Looking down, she saw Neji laying there, a severe wound in his abdomen that Ino and Hinata tried to patch up, though they said he may not make it.

Lee, who was basically the spitting image of Guy sensei, laid there…and for once in his life, he was actually tired and unable to go on. It was unusual for her to be the one out of the team left standing, but here she was. Looking at Lee…looking at Neji, who probably was going to die…and watching Guy sensei be carried off to be buried.

This wasn't the way she wanted her team to be left, but it wasn't her call. Between Guy sensei using the forbidden 8th Gate on Madara, Lee going up to the 7th Gate and pushing himself past his limits, then Neji jumping in the way to protect Naruto from the 10 Tails' attack, the three of them had put up more fight than they probably had in them.

And here she was…sitting there while she looked at them. Why? Why was it that they always showed more fight in them than she could? Why it that she was always was forced to watch them all pushing themselves past their limits and going above and beyond for others and yet she always ended up stopping not even a fourth of the way they'd gone?

It wasn't fair…how they push themselves so far that they were at the brink of death and she was always left having to wait for them to recover. She leaned forward and removed Neji's headband, placing a cloth of his forehead as she looked over at Lee who hadn't moved at all since the battle.

"Excuse me" a voice said from behind her, four medical ninja with two stretcher beds ready for Neji and Lee. "We're here to retrieved Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee of the Leaf Village" one of them said, watching Tenten stand up and step over to the side as they hoisted them up and placed them both on the separate stretcher beds.

Watching them be carried away, Tenten looked at her friends…then over at her sensei as they were carried off, away from her…leaving her to stand there alone.

 _Why? Why am I always the only one left able to stand…_


	4. Temari and Shikamaru

"Wake up…you lazy idiot…" a feminine voice said to a sleeping Shikamaru, seeing him resting in the grass. "You don't have time to be lazing around" she said, squatting down next to the young man as he slowly opened his eyes. "I just fought in a war. I think I deserve a little nap" he responded, looking up at the clouds.

Temari's eyebrow twitched before the sound of a loud smack, followed by Shikamaru yelping in pain being heard, echoing through the air. "Not a chance!" Temari said, standing back up with her hands on her hips. "Remember what you said on the battlefield?" she asked him, the young man sighing and sitting up lazily.

"What I said? I kinda wish I hadn't" he said, Temari smiling at his words. "And I'm gonna make sure you keep your word" she said to him as she reached down for his hand before pulling on his arm, trying to get him up. "Heeey! I like my arm attached to my body! Besides I'm tired" Shikamaru complained. "Oh quiet you! Hurry up and get up before it closes!" Temari said, pulling Shikamaru to his feet.

With the last tug she gave she was able to bring the young man to his feet, but the second he got up he stumbled forward, bringing Temari down with him before groaning lightly. "Geez why do you have to be so spunky?" he said, looking up to a blushing Temari straddling him. "Well now, we've gotten ourselves into a problem" he said, not noticing how red Temari's face had become.

Temari continued to look down, not particularly at anything, but more out of embarrassment for the situation she was in. Since she was a shinobi she trained constantly and rarely had much time to put into romantic stuff. Aside from her keeping up with her looks and the occasional downtime she wasn't used to doing anything but training, especially with her being the sister of the Kazekage.

"Hey Temari?" Shikamaru's voice echoed through her mind, breaking her from her trance of embarrassment, she looked up at him. "Wh-What is it?" she asked, frowning with her light crimson face. Shikamaru looked away, his own face turning red after having seen how cute Temari seems when she's embarrassed. "If you're trying to get to the Amaguriama, don't you think we need to be on our feet?" he asked her, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the unfamiliar situation.

For Shikamaru, he was more comfortable either when he was lazing about or when he was doing something that required him to use his 200 IQ. So, to be in a situation like this and with a girl no less wasn't exactly something he could say he was particularly familiar with. He waited for Temari to jump off him, her face much redder than before, and trying her best to look serious despite the situation.

Standing up, Shikamaru held his hand out towards Temari, who looked up at him as if she was expecting some sort of an explanation for why he was doing what he was doing. "Come on…let's go get some dumplings before they close for the day" he said, Temari soon taking his hand and being pulled up to her feet.

When she was, she found herself being pulled into the boy's arms, soon looking up at him with a blushing face. Both soon smiled at each other, lightly laughing in their embrace.


	5. Rivalry and Heartbreak

_The village…hidden in the leaves…_

A familiar, raven haired young man looked out towards the village with cold, emotionless charcoal eyes. He still felt that annoying twinge in his chest. That twinge that was conceived when he realized that Naruto had a victory over him that he could do nothing about. Looking down at the people setting up and hanging up banners, his hair blew with the breeze. He had said he would stay in the Leaf, but only until he was able to fully recover and would be able to go out on his own again. After that happens, he would go back out and be alone.

What else was there for him in Konoha? What was here that was so important that he would have to stay here, with the rest of the villagers? The war was over, and he had nothing left to do that involved him with the village. He had said he would become Hokage, but he knew that that would be stopped before it could even happen.

He didn't care that anyone here resented him for everything he's done, or that most people were skeptical about him staying in the very village that he resolved to destroy. After learning that they had manipulated his brother Itachi into killing off the rest of their clan, he wanted to completely crush the Leaf village with the very eyes his brother once owned. But after he and his brother Itachi, though in Reanimation form, defeated Kabuto Yakushi he had changed his views about the village.

But even now with his views changed, he doubted anything about the village's opinions of him would change at all. He looked at his hand, wrapped in bandages, and thought about everything. With all he had done, there was no way the villagers would see him as anything more than a murderer who slaughtered for his own reasons.

Lowering his hand back to his side, he looked out at the busy villagers, several banners with the words, "Leaf Celebration! End of 4th Great Ninja War" written on them in festive colors and writing. He quickly turned his back towards it all, the setting sun, slowly taking refuge behind the darkening horizon.

 _There's nothing left for me here…_

Elsewhere, the heiress to the Hyuga Clan sat in her room, looking at the sky from her window as she tried to let her mind wrap around all that had happened recently and tried to accept it all the way it was. But for some reason, she found herself unable to do so. She could deal with the war being over, and that some people had lost their lives in the process…but…she just couldn't accept what she saw…

The image…still fresh in her head, she could shake it from her mind no matter how hard she tried. She looked onto her bed at the neatly folded yukata lying there. She knew that as the next head of the Hyuga Family she was expected to be at the festival, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. At least, not in her current state of mind.

A knock was heard on her door, shaking her from her thoughts. "Yes?" she responded, unaware of the shakiness of her voice. "We've prepared the bath for you" a woman's voice answered, footsteps soon following after. Hinata looked back out the window, the heavy feeling inside her heart refusing to leave her alone.

Walking towards her bed she grabbed the yukata and left her room, walking towards the bathroom, refusing to say anything even when greeted by her fellow clan members. "Big Sister" Hanabi said, walking up to the heiress as looking up into her saddened eyes before her face was tainted with concerned, whatever she had been wanting to tell her having left her mind completely. "Yes Hanabi?" Hinata asked, and now in the manner that her little sister had become accustomed to over the years they've known each other.

"Big Sister, there's something wrong with you isn't it?" the young Hyuga clan member asked. Holding her yukata closely to her chest, she soon looked at Hanabi, her eyes telling the story of her heartbreak, yet refusing to let that tale be spoken from her own lips. "Hanabi, you should get ready for the festival…" Hinata said, walking past her younger sister. Approaching the bathroom, Hiashi Hyuga looked at his daughter with concern, something he had rarely ever done when it came to her.

"Hinata, you should walk with your head held high. As the heiress to our clan, it is your job to-…" Hinata looked up at her father, the look alone sufficient enough to stop the rest of his words from leaving his mouth. "Father…I need to get ready for the festival…" Hinata said, walking past her shocked father as she finally made it to the bathroom.

"It's about Naruto, isn't it?" a familiar voice asked, standing not too far from where Hinata stood. Bandages wrapped around his abdomen and right arm, the heiress' cousin stood there, waiting for the answer he knew was right. "Is this because of what you saw?" he asked.

Hinata slowly turned herself towards her older cousin, her head still hanging low and refusing to be lifted. "He made his choice…" she said, lifting her head the few inches it would allow her to as she met the eyes of Neji, standing there in somewhat of a healthy condition looking directly at her, the same analytical eyes he once had when they faced each other at the Chuunin Exams back then.

"And you're fine with this?" Neji asked her, silence being the only one to answer his question. "Back then, didn't you fight me for the sake of not looking weak in front of Naruto? Didn't you get involved in the battle between Naruto and the Akatsuki because you felt strongly about him?" he asked her, taking slow, small steps towards her. "I have to respect Naruto-kun's decision. Even if it wasn't me who he chose" she said, finally finding the strength to lift her head up just enough so Neji could see the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"I can't say I loved him, if I can't be happy for him even if I'm not the one making him smile" she said, Neji seeing how hard she had to go to fake a believable smile in front of him. But…perhaps it was something she knew would happen even when she chased after him. Watching her, seeing how she quickly turned her back and retreated into the bathroom, Neji sighed heavily.

 _Hinata…why do you allow yourself to be hurt like this…and still act like you're happy…_


	6. An Unworthy Successor

"It looks like everyone has made it back to the village safely" Tsunade said, looking over at Shizune standing near the window, Tonton held in her arms as the Hokage exhaled heavily. A knock was heard on the door, making the woman's eyes dart towards it instantly. "Come in" she said, sitting up as Shizune turned towards the door.

Sakura walked in, and for once, she had this overwhelming positive air about her that brought a smile to Tsunade's face. "Well I see you seem to be in a good mood" the blond haired woman said to her student, watching how Sakura's face blushed lightly at the remark. "I'm just glad everything is going back to normal that's all" Sakura said, hiding the fact that she had finally told Naruto how she felt about him.

"Well I'm glad as well" Tsunade said with a smile. "Is there anything you needed Sakura?" Shizune asked the pinked haired young woman who clapped her hands together when she remembered what it was that made her want to come to the Hokage Mansion. "Oh yeah, do you know if Kakashi sensei is busy at the moment? We kind of need his help with setting up for the festival" Sakura said, but was only answered by saddened looks from Tsunade and Shizune.

"Is he…alright?" Sakura asked them. "Kakashi is still at the grave of Might Guy…" Shizune said sadly, looking down at the now saddened Tonton in her arms. "Might Guy's death is a huge hit to the village, but I'm afraid Kakashi took his death the worst" Tsunade said. Sakura's head lowered, remembering how Kakashi looked when he saw Guy fall to the ground.

Outside of the Hokage's Mansion, out near the Hero's Memorial Stone, Kakashi Hatake looked at the now longer list of deceased Leaf Village shinobi that were all killed in action. Most people who knew Kakashi knew him as the calm, cool and collected person who was difficult to figure out, even without the fact that majority of his face was covered.

He looked at the names, his eyes running over two very specific names over and over again as if they would vanish if he did so. _Obito Uchiha…Might Guy…_ he lifted his hand up to the stone and ran shaky fingers over the names, feeling the engraved lettering under his fingers. Memories of both Obito and Guy swarmed and flooded his mind, and it was like he was reliving every single one of them with the two of them.

Might Guy, the hot blooded man who always claimed he and Kakashi were "Eternal Rivals" and would always challenge Kakashi to outrageous battles. Obito Uchiha, the problem child that people called a failure that became the hatred filled man who first sought the destruction of so many things and to unite the entire world under the _Eternal Tsuykuyomi_ , and was changed when he battled Naruto.

It was almost too painful to believe it was real. More painful than when his eye was cut years ago…more painful than being hit by Zabuza Momochi's Guillotine Sword…far more painful than being trapped inside Itachi Uchiha's _Tsuykuyomi_ …like an ever-lasting pain that not even the best medical ninja could heal…

He looked amongst the other names…more people who he felt he was close to that were now dead… _Minato Namikaze…Jiraiya…Ren…_ Why was it so hard for him to accept the fact that they were gone? That it was pointless to simply _wish_ things could have been different? They all fought…put their lives in danger…and yet here he stood the survivor while they were all left to rest…

He brought his hand up, pressing shaky cold fingers against his temple as his eyes changed from their normal charcoal black into a blood red color…with black swirl patterns in them…the Mangekyou Sharingan he received from Obito. The right eye from back then, after his eye was cut and Obito awakened his Sharingan, and soon ended up crushed under a boulder and gave to him as a gift for being a Jonin…and the left during the 4th Great Ninja War…

He held out his left hand, a small blue-greenish ball began swirling around in his palm as the wind around him began to blow…ever so gently. The _Rasengan_ …the jutsu used by Jiraiya and Minato sensei, even the technique the _Dynamic Entry_ that Might Guy once used…all residing within him…

Was he worthy…? Was he even good enough, worthy enough to have these within him? The small ball of wind died down, his eyes returning back to normal as he looked towards the sky…as if it held the answers to the questions…

 _Guy…Master Jiraiya…Minato Sensei…Obito…am I worthy enough to carry these with me…? Am I truly worthy of carrying on your wills and legacy?_


End file.
